Medal Card
Tyneside Scottish
Derek Johnstone has provided the following:
William Simpson was born in 1875 at Sleekburn, a village near to Bedlington in Northumberland. His parents were parents William Simpson, born at Longbenton, Northumberland and Dinah Simpson, born at South Shields County Durham.
William lived at 7, Second Single Row, West Sleekburn in 1881, aged 6 with siblings James 16, Jane 13 and Luke 3.
The 1891 Census shows William living at 25, Double Row, West Sleekburn aged 16 and working as a coal miner. Also in the house were brothers James and Luke.
William does not appear in the census which took place in 1901.
Census records in 1911 record William living at 37, South Row, West Sleekburn, Choppington, where he was single and head of the house which included Luke Simpson, his brother, and Martha Turnbull, his niece. At this time William was 36 years old, still working in the coal mines and single.
Military records confirm William enlisted at Alnwick and his Pension Index Card shows only William and his niece, Martha Turnbull, on the document. All information indicates he was not married. It should be noted William had a 23rd Battalion service number but was serving in the 22nd Battalion of the Tyneside Scottish when he died.
William Simpson is remembered in West Sleekburn on W34.01 and in Bedlington on B15.06
